Storing a part of the hierarchy
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Hi,
One thing I forgot, which I already wanted to mention in your other threads, as it is a common technique to deal with similar problems in c4d. Are you aware that you can hide a
GeListNode
from the users view (so they won't show up in the Object Manager, the Material Manager, etc.) with theirNBIT
flags? This would be an easy way to store whatever you want to store. You won't believe all the hidden stuff that is floating around in your documentsFor details check GeListNode.ChangeNBit().
Cheers
zipit -
@zipit, I got the code from another thread: https://developers.maxon.net/forum/topic/11802/writing-data-to-the-c4d-file/19
And if you changesubBc[2000] = "world!"
to
subBc[2000] = op
it also works!
I tried
subBc.SetLink(2000, newDoc)
and indeed it does not work. It returns a None on reading back the subcontainer after storing the file.
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@zipit, yes I know that functionality (and use it often).
However, although it is hidden it still consumes cpu power.
We like to minimalize cpu power by converting a node using csto, hide the node and disabling generators and deformers in the node. -
Hi,
subBc[2000] = "world!"
to
subBc[2000] = op
That is expected as op is also an
C4DAtom
.it also works!
I tried
subBc.SetLink(2000, newDoc)
and indeed it does not work. It returns a None on reading back the subcontainer after storing the file.
The method
SetLink()
does not have a (boolean) return type. So this is to be expected too. I am not quite sure if you got my point, so here is a modified version of your first script - which you assume to be "working" as it printed back your document. I did modify it in such a way, that it does not work any more - I am really good at this specific task ;). I hope the code and the comments make more clear what I am trying to convey: That you are not storing your document, but a link to it.import c4d PLUGIN_ID = 1234567 MyUniqueId = 456789 def main(): #retrieves the document baseContainer docBC = doc.GetDataInstance() sel = doc.GetSelection() # !!! only select the parent, not the children newDoc = c4d.documents.IsolateObjects(doc, sel) #create a sub-BaseContainer subBc = c4d.BaseContainer() subBc[1000] = "hello" subBc[2000] = newDoc # Get the type of the ID we set print "ID 2000 is a link", subBc.GetType(2000) == c4d.DA_ALIASLINK # do the same thing in green. That SetLink() returns None # is expected as it has no return value (which is implictly # None in Python) subBc.SetLink(2000, newDoc) print "ID 2000 is a link", subBc.GetType(2000) == c4d.DA_ALIASLINK # Add the container to the "main" Container docBC.SetContainer(MyUniqueId, subBc) # Updates the document container doc.SetData(docBC) # Print the values stored in our container. for cid, value in doc.GetDataInstance().GetContainer(MyUniqueId): print cid, value print "\nDeleting newDoc...\n" # This part is a bit dodgy since Pythons garbage collector cannot # be trusted. But what I am trying to show is that you stored # a reference, not an object. For me it works here, but in some cases # an object can linger even after marking it for garbage collection. newDoc.Flush() del(newDoc) # Print the values stored in our container. for cid, value in doc.GetDataInstance().GetContainer(MyUniqueId): print cid, value if __name__=='__main__': main()
this should print out something like:
ID 2000 is a link True ID 2000 is a link True 1000 hello 2000 <c4d.documents.BaseDocument object called '' with ID 110059 at 0x00000135BC7F9030> Deleting newDoc... 1000 hello 2000 None >>>
Cheers
zipit -
Thanks for the explanation.
Two questions:
-
the line <c4d.documents.BaseDocument object called '' with ID 110059 at 0x00000135BC7F9030> always show a strange name ''? Why is it not showing the name of the document?
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Back to the main questions, what to do, to store the node in scene file.
-
-
hello,
1 - what kind of strange name ?
2 -
you can store the data itself in the tag and than with the function read and write store them in the Scenefine
I'm using a file on the disk on this example but that should work with the HyperFile link provide by the read and write functions.Be aware that HyperFile.WriteMemory is storing byte sequences that will be platform dependent.
import c4d from c4d import gui # Welcome to the world of Python import os # Main function def main(): path = c4d.storage.LoadDialog(c4d.FILESELECTTYPE_SCENES, flags=c4d.FILESELECT_DIRECTORY) path = os.path.join(path, "prout.txt") # using a MemoryFileStructure to store a document mfs = c4d.storage.MemoryFileStruct() mfs.SetMemoryWriteMode() newdoc = c4d.documents.IsolateObjects(doc , [op]) # Save the document to the MemoryFileStructure c4d.documents.SaveDocument(newdoc, mfs, c4d.SAVEDOCUMENTFLAGS_NONE, c4d.FORMAT_C4DEXPORT) #Retrieve the data and store it somewhere, could be self.myData myData = mfs.GetData() #Save the data to a hyperfile myFile = c4d.storage.HyperFile() if not myFile.Open(0, path, c4d.FILEOPEN_WRITE, c4d.FILEDIALOG_NONE): raise RuntimeError("Failed to open the HyperFile in write mode.") # Store the size myFile.WriteInt32(myData[1]) # Store the data itself if myFile.WriteMemory(myData[0]) is False: raise ValueError("can't write the file") myFile.Close() # Read the data from the HF if not myFile.Open(0, path, c4d.FILEOPEN_READ, c4d.FILEDIALOG_NONE): raise RuntimeError("Failed to open the HyperFile in read mode.") size = myFile.ReadInt32() data = myFile.ReadMemory() myFile.Close() #Set the MFS mfs2 = c4d.storage.MemoryFileStruct() mfs2.SetMemoryReadMode(data,size) c4d.documents.MergeDocument(doc, mfs2, c4d.SCENEFILTER_OBJECTS) c4d.EventAdd() # Execute main() if __name__=='__main__': main()
Once again, be aware of where you are modifying the scene (on main thread and not elsewhere)
by the way, are you going to use c++ or python at the end ? (just for the tags of this thread)
Cheers,
Manuel -
Great, thank you very much.
I am beginning to see the light.And yes, my fault, apparently I indicated it as c++, but I am doing it in Python.
About your warning.
My plan was to do it all in a tag plugin.
There I can have the interface, do the isolate and the read/write in a hf.
Or is it better to do it in a Object plugin? -
Hi,
@pim said in Storing a part of the hierarchy:
- the line <c4d.documents.BaseDocument object called '' with ID 110059 at 0x00000135BC7F9030> always show a strange name ''? Why is it not showing the name of the document?
Not quite sure what you do mean by that:
- The fact that the it prints the empty string for the document name is probably because you run the script on a unsaved document. This whole untitled_x.c4d stuff you see in c4d app is all smoke and daggers. An unsaved document will return the empty string for
GetName()
. - If you mean how objects are printed out, this is because of the way it is convention to implement
__repr__()
for an object. I found that obsession with memory addresses also always quite bizarre, but, hey, everyone is doing it
Cheers
zipit -
@pim said in Storing a part of the hierarchy:
My plan was to do it all in a tag plugin.
There I can have the interface, do the isolate and the read/write in a hf.
Or is it better to do it in a Object plugin?Hi, it does not really matter what kind of
NodeData
you use, what @m_magalhaes meant, was that you should be careful with the threaded context of methods likeExecute()
inTagData
orGetVirtualObjects()
inObjectData
. When you execute your code from a method that is executed from the main thread, you are fine (e.g.NodeData.Message()
). You can always check there withc4d.threading.GeIsMainThread()
if you are in the main thread to be extra sure.Cheers
zipit -
An ObjectData (generator) would be a bit better for that. But you are exploring possibilities, that's also the way to find new solutions / workflow.
About my warning it's just a reminder. You will have so sent message probably and use a MessageData to react to that message in order to do some action in the main thread.
Cheers,
Manuel -
Thanks for all the support.
I will use all the knowledge gained and start testing.
I am sure, I will be back with more questions.-Pim